Google has become everything it once pretended to disdain -- an arrogant, sleazy, control-freak monopolist.
Its latest anti-user, anti-competition move will shut down the alternative app marketplaces that Google used to show off as "we're not like Apple" evidence. https://thenewstack.io/f-droid-says-googles-android-developer-verification-plan-is-an-existential-threat-to-alternative-app-stores/
@dangillmor Recommend Spring Cleaning on DNS level:
Google has been banned
Meta has been banned
Microsoft has been banned
A few more arsehole companies sent to 0.0.0.0
"Feel better?" "Yeah, I do!"
@me @dangillmor Thanks for the interest - here's what I've done.
In 2019, I installed a Pi-hole in my home network, to establish network-wide protection for all my devices, also those which have no user interface to install ad blockers - TV, media box and connected PV home appliances. Over time, I beefed it up a bit.
There is not one blocklist - fully loaded, mine runs all in- and outgoing traffic thru ca. 40 selected blocklists w/ over 4 million flagged sites, sending bullshit to 0.0.0.0
Pi-hole can combine two basic modes:
1) Volunteer-maintained blocklists for various areas (e. g., advertising, trackers, malware, porn, crypto, AI)
2) Configurable blacklists, easily ban the big bastards. It is even possible to add whitelists for services you direly need.
@me @dangillmor A word of caution: If you start to self-defend, some Internet sites and services wil not work properly or not at all. Then you found bullshit, it's meant not to let that through.
Your choice of services will change. Your surfing will change. You may have to fine-tune to use bullshit you still need (remove particular blocklists, or add whitelist entries). You may have to try other, safer browsers, and work your way down to find some necessary tweaks.
But if you want to literally 'google' w/ Chrome, Pi-hole is not for you.
I must admit, I got IT background. Made my feat a bit easier. If you learn, you will be rewarded. My everyday Internet experience is mostly ad- and tracking-free. Almost as it was back in the Nineties.
No fecal matter of the male bovine aka bullshit
Dan Gillmor
caneToad 
Three LLMs in a Trenchcoat